Geriatric Specialty Clinics at East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center

Blood Pressure Clinic

The Blood Pressure Clinic provides assistance for older adults with blood pressure that is not well controlled. The Clinic at the East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center offers monitoring and counseling by a registered nurse. Testing of home equipment to check for accuracy is also available. Additional support for the patient and family are provided as they deal with this chronic disease.

Chinese Clinic

The Geriatrics Center's Chinese Clinic provides healthcare services for Chinese-speaking older adults. Patients may communicate directly with a Chinese-speaking physician who specializes in the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of older adults. A Chinese language interpreter will be available to assist throughout a patient's visit including check-in and check-out procedures, with visits to the laboratory or x-ray if needed.

Endocrinology and Diabetes Care

The Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic provides specialized care for the older adult with endocrine disorders. Diagnostic services, educational programs and individualized care from a team of health professionals are designed to provide care and management for the older adult.

Foot Care

Our non-operative Foot Care Clinic provides services including trimming of nails, and care for callus, corns and fungal nail disorders. Older adults with diabetes and other systemic disorders complicated by nail diseases are particularly welcome.

Gastroenterology

This clinic provides evaluation and management of common gastro-intestinal problems in older adults. Examples of conditions seen in the gastro-intestinal clinic are: diarrhea, constipation, chronic abdominal pain, reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel disease, pancreatitis, gall bladder and liver disease, gastro-intestinal bleeding, and colon cancer screening.

Incontinence

The Incontinence Clinic provides care for men and women needing assistance with bladder control problems and for females with genital organ support (prolapse) problems. Evaluation and diagnosis of the underlying condition will be followed by a personalized plan of care for self-management whenever possible.

Mobility Enhancement

The Mobility Enhancement Clinic focuses on assessments and interventions for older adults (with or without an assistive device) who have difficulty with gait, balance, falls, and endurance. A geriatric assessment will be part of the evaluation and a physical therapist will assist in the development of a comprehensive treatment plan including an exercise program.

Nephrology Clinic

Kidney disease is very common in older adults and strongly contributes to loss of quality of life, but the causes and complications of kidney disease are different in older patients. The clinic is open to older adults, age 65 years or older with kidney problems. In addition to evaluation of signs of kidney disease (including proteinuria, rise in serum creatinine, electrolyte abnormalities and difficult to control hypertension), we focus on counseling and management of patients with continuously decreasing kidney function who are approaching kidney failure. Together with patients, their families and caregivers we help to identify the best options to manage kidney disease. We continue to support the patient through individualized management of complications of kidney failure and preparation for dialysis or transplantation, if needed. Our team includes nephrologists and a social worker that focus on geriatric aspects of nephrology. We work closely together with our geriatric colleagues in order to provide individualized care for older adults with kidney disease and decreased kidney function.  

Neurology-Cognitive Disorders

The Cognitive Disorders Clinic provides diagnosis and management for people with memory loss, cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and other neurodegenerative disorders that affect memory and thinking. Early-onset, rapidly progressive, and familial dementias are particularly appropriate for this clinic. The Cognitive Disorders Clinic integrates clinical care, research and the training of health professionals to provide patients and families with the latest advances in dementia care.

Neurology-Movement Disorders

A specialized outpatient clinic for the evaluation and treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Wilson's disease, focal or generalized dystonia, tic disorders, tremors or other abnormal involuntary movements is offered weekly. A treatment plan is developed and follow-up care is provided directly by the clinic or through the referring physician.

Neurology-Neurogenetic Disorders

The Neurogenetic Disorders Clinic provides evaluation, care, referral and genetic counseling for individuals with known or suspected inherited and degenerative disorders of the nervous system.

Neurosurgery- Deep Brain Stimulation Clinic

The Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Clinic is a specialized clinic for patients with advanced movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, or dystonia. DBS is a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker that delivers electrical stimulation to specific targeted areas in the brain. Continuous stimulation of these areas in the brain may block signals that cause the disabling symptoms of the disease. Patients whose disease cannot be controlled by drugs, or people who experience intolerable side effects from drugs, may be candidates for DBS. Prior to DBS surgery, patients undergo evaluation in the DBS clinic. Patients that have the DBS system implanted are provided follow-up care in this clinic.

Palliative Care Clinic

The Palliative Care Clinic provides care to patients with incurable and potentially life threatening diseases. Palliative care focuses on providing comfort care and good quality of life when a cure is no longer possible. Pain control, symptom management, coordinated and multidisciplinary care, family support and referrals to hospice care are some of the services provided by the Palliative Care Clinic.

Psychiatry

The Geropsychiatry Clinic provides outpatient psychiatric evaluation and treatment for older adults. Commonly evaluated problems include: depression, dementia, psychosis and other disturbances. Consultation is available by geriatricians and other primary care providers who treat older patients. Follow-up care is also available in the clinic.

Rheumatology

The Geriatric Rheumatology clinic provides consultation and/or continuing care for the diagnosis and management of rheumatic diseases of the older adult. A special emphasis is placed on treatment of the geriatric patient to help maintain a high level of mobility.

Social Work and Community Programs

The goal of Social Work and Community Programs is to assist patients, caregivers, as well as other members of the community, obtain personalized help in matters that affect health and well-being. Social workers, who recognize the interaction between physical and emotional health, offer individual and group counseling to both older adults, family members or other caregivers. A wide range of support groups, educational programs, volunteer peer counseling and day care for older adults with dementia are also available.

Transitional Care

The Transitional Care Clinic provides assistance to older adults making the transition from the hospital to their home. Patients who have had sudden hospitalizations or complex emergency room visits that require urgent follow-up care are appropriate to be seen in the Transitional Care Clinic. In addition, the Transitional Care Clinic provides care for patients with multiple medical problems or who are in need of short or long term nursing home placement to prevent re-hospitalization. Medical care and social work support will be provided for the patient and the family.